Pivotal support means for pendant lighting fixtures including globe attaching means



May 21, 1963 s. SCHAEFER 3,090,589

PIVOTAL SUPPORT MEANS FOR PENDANT LIGHTING FIXTURES INCLUDING GLOBEATTACHING MEANS Filed May 5, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.1

IN VEN TOR.

STEPHEN SCHAEFER May 21, 1963 s. SCHAEFER 3,090,589

PIVOTAL SUPPORT MEANS FOR PENDANT LIGHTING FIXTURES INCLUDING GLOBEATTACHING MEANS Filed May 5, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.9

38 INVENTOR.

STEPHEN SCHAEFER May 21, 1963 s. SCHAEFER 3,090,589

PIVOTAL SUPPORT MEANS FOR PENDANT LIGHTING FIXTURES INCLUDING GLOBEATTACHING MEANS Filed May 5, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

STEPHEN SCHAEFER United States Patent 3,090,589 PIVOTAL SUPPORT MEANSFOR PENDANT Stephen Schaefer, Flushing, N.Y., assignor to McPhilbenManufacturing (30., Inc., Brooklyn, N.Y., a corporatron of New YorkFiled May 5, 1960, Ser. No. 27,184 7 Claims. (Cl. 248318) This inventionrelates to pendant lighting fixtures and more particularly toimprovements in pivotal support means therefor and in lamp globeattachment means.

The present invention is particularly concerned with improvements inswivel supports for ceiling supported lighting fixtures. The swivel isconstructed to be readily concealable within a smooth ceiling supportcover struc* ture. It employs a transversely extending pivotal supportlocated in the pendant lamp holding shaft which is engaged with -a pairof elongated opposed rectangular apertures in a ceiling support bracket.This structure permits the pendant support shaft to hang plumb insubstantially all orientations of the support bracket upon a slopingceiling. Prior art devices for accomplishing this same pivotal freedomin a pendant fixture have used balland-socket arrangements or analogouspivots having two planes of freedom similar to a universal joint. Bothof these prior art devices are more costly in manufacture and do notlend themselves as readily to applicants concealed pivot and coverconstruction.

Another aspect of applicants invention is in the fixture globe orreflector holding mechanism which blends with the contour of the globeor reflector. The lower portion of the fixture incorporates a pair ofhorizontally disposed plates, the lowermost of which is suitably shapedso that it may be inserted into a conforming lamp globe aperture,whereupon the globe is rotated a quarter turn to positively engage itwith the support plate. The upper horizontal plate is spring biased in adownward direction against the globe and lower plate, and acts to form asmooth, blending upper contour with a conventional globe assembly. Theupper spring biased plate may be raised against the downward springforce to an upper position and locked therein to allow easy removal,cleaning or replacement of the globe.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a pendant lampfixture which employs a simplified upper swivel support adaptable toflush design and to provide a lower globe holding mechanism whichpermits easy globe attachment and positive securing thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pendant lamp swivelsupport which allows swinging freedom in one plane while not restrainingrotational freedom of the pendant fixture support shaft.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a lamp globeholding arrangement wherein the globe is secured to the fixture by aquarter turn thereof and held in said position by a spring loadedpressure plate.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pendant lamp fixturewhich is simple in design, neat in appearance, durable in constructionand economical to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent andthe invention will be understood from the following description anddrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the lower portion of the inventionshowing the globe holding mechanism;

FIG. 2 is a partial elevation view of the invention showing the upperceiling swivel support housing;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the parts in cross section;

aaass Patented May 21, 1963 FIG. 3a is an enlarged side elevational viewof a portion of the pivotal support employed in FIG. 3;

FIG. 4 is a broken sectional view of the lamp socket portion of thefixture showing the cover plate set screw locking means;

FIG. 4a is a cross sectional view similar to FIG. 4 showing varioustechniques for fastening the globe cover plate in a raised position;

'FIG. 4b is a sectional view of part of a reflector in the holder shownin FIG. 4;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the spring biased plunger lockemployed in FIG. 4a;

FIG. 6 is a reduced bottom plan view of FIG. 4a;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of another embodiment of pivotalsupport means;

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of another embodiment of the invention;and

FIG. 9 is a top plan View of the fixture support bracket and swivelcover.

Referring to the drawings, an upper support section 10 is shown attachedto an inclined mounting wall 16 having a pivot support cover 20 and avertically depending lamp supporting shaft 14. The upper section 16 isdesigned, in a manner to be described hereafter, to permit mounting onsloped ceiling structures such as that shown at 16 and allows thesupport shaft 14 to hang in a vertical direction regardless of theceiling inclination. Connected to the lower portion of the column 14 isa lamp attachment section shown generally at 12. This attachment sectioncarries two substantially horizontal disc mem bers 44 and 46 which areadapted to engage a contoured aperture in a conventional globe orreflector 48 (FIG. 4b). The globe cover plate or skirt 46 is free toslide vertically on the support shaft 14 to allow the insertion of theglobe support plate 44 into a typical similarly shaped aperture in aglobe (not shown). Positive locking between the plate 44 and globe isaccomplished by a quarter turn of the globe in a position well known tothose skilled in the art.

The globe securing mechanism is further shown 1n FIGS. 4 and 4a whichillustrate various embodiments of the invention. The attachment sectionis shown having a lamp receiving socket 443 connected by threadedengagement to the lower end of the support shaft 14 and rotationallyfixed thereto by a set screw 42. A globe support plate 44 is locked tothe upper portion of the lamp socket 40 by a suitable lock nut. Thesupport plate 44 is provided with a stepped peripheral portion which maybe shaped in such a manner that upon engagement with a lamp globe flushsmooth alignment will be obtained between the globe surfaces and theupper curvature of the skirt 46. A pair of cushioning gaskets 50- aresuitably secured to the peripheral portions of the horizontal plates 44,46 to prevent damage to the globe. Cover plate 46 has a central aperturewhich is sufliciently large to permit sliding passage over the lowerthreaded portion of the support shaft 14 (FIG. 4a). Secured about thiscentral aperture is a tubular collar 52 which encloses and conceals acoil spring 54. The spring 54 abuts against a stop nut 56 threaded uponthe support shaft at its upper end and against the upper surface of thecover plate 46 to normally hold the latter in a downward positionagainst the outer surface of the globe. Temporary upward movement of thecollar and cover plate assembly to the dotted position is easilyaccomplished by raising the assembly against the pressure of spring 54(FIG. 4a). In this position a spring clip 64, affixed to collar 52,having a pin portion 66, will engage an annular groove 68 in the supportshaft 14 to hold the cover in the raised position, thereby allowingremoval of the globe. An alternate securing means is shown on theopposite side of the tubular barrel 52 in the form of 3, a plunger lockarrangement which employs a biasing spring 72 which urges the pointedportion of the plunger 20 toward the support shaft thereby engaging theshaft threads and coil spring turns to hold the collar and coverassembly in an upward position (FIG.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, a tubular collar 58 is shown having asmaller diameter lower threaded neck portion engaging a retaining nut64} to secure the cover plate 46 to the tubular collar 58. A threadedset screw 62 is suitably placed through a threaded aperture in thecollar 58 and may be inwardly adjusted to lock the .c ollar and globecover assembly in the upper dotted 5081111011 during relamping insimilar fashion as in FIG.

Referring to FIGS. 3, 3a, 7 and 8, a T-shaped support bracket 22-carries a depending threaded tubular portion containing a pair ofopposed elongated rectangular apertures 24. These apertures provide thesupport points for a pair of opposed set screws 28 which are threadedinto the upper end of the tubular support shaft 14. The upper end of theshaft 14 is beveled at 36 to allow pivotal clearance of the shaft withinthe inside diameter of the tubular support bracket 22 when the supportshaft axis is angularly displaced relative to the support bracket axis.The inside diameter of the threaded portion of the support bracket 22 ismade sufficiently large, in relation to the outside diameter of thesupport shaft 14, to allow considerable angular freedom therebetween. Anut 34 on the lower end of the threaded pontion 22 holds the cover 20against the ceiling surface 16. The securing nut 34 is recessed into thecover 2b to provide a flush, neat appearance (FIG. 3).

The embodiment of FIG. 7 employs a transverse dowel pin support 38 whichis axially retained by an elongated skirt portion of a threaded securingnut 36.

FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of the novel pendant support portion ofthe invention employing bent pivotal support tab portion 32 which isintegrally formed from the upper wall portion of the support shaftM.This construction is well adapted for in situ assembly in that the tabportion 32 of the shaft need not be bent outwardly until the upper endof the shaft 14 is disposed within the lower end of the support 22. Thebending of the tab 32 may be readily accomplished by means of a screwdriver inserted through the rectangular opening on either side of thedepending tubular portion 22. Alternately, the tab 32 may be bentoutwardly before insertion and by lifting the shaft 14 into the tubularportion 22 in a tilted posiiton with respect thereto until one of thetabs 32 gains entry into one of the rectangular openings on one side.Then the shaft may be swung over and forced upwardly adjacent the othertab until it drops into the rectangular opening on the other side of thedepending portion 22.

In each of the pivotal support embodiments, it should be noted thathanging freedom is maintained in a single plane about a transverse axialsupport member. But in addition, because the rectangular apertures 24 inthe depending bracket 22 are horizontally elongated, the support shaft14 may be angularly rotated about a vertical axis to allow the selectionof the pivotal support freedom in any desired vertical plane. In thismanner the invention approximates that degree of hanging freedom thatcould be obtained in a universal ball-and-socket arrangement without thecomplexity of this prior art technique. Applicants improved pivotalsupport embodies a simple single axis opposed trunnion support which mayuse either an opposed set screw, a through dowel pin, a cotter pin, oroutwardly projecting ear portions to obtain multi-plane pendant freedomwithout recourse to a complex universal joint structure. Applicantsdevice, in eflect, synthesizes substantially all the advantages of theball-andsocket universality without its associated costs.

It should be noted that no critical alignment of the .support bracket 22need be maintained when securing 4 i the bracket to the inclined ceilingsurface. If any misalignment does occur, it may readily be compensatedfor by a slight angular rotation of the support shaft 14 about itsvertical axis which will readjust the plane of pendulous hanging of thepivotal support to complement the plane of the ceilings inclination.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed in detail to illustrate the application of the inventionprinciples, it will be understood that the invention may be embodiedotherwise without departing from such principles.

What I claim is:

1. A flexible support for suspending a pendant lighting fixture from aceiling, or the like, comprising a support bracket for mounting adjacentthe ceiling and having a depending tubular portion, the inner surface ofwhich is cylindrical, said tubular portion having a pair ofdiametrically opposed horizontally elongated substantially rectangularapertures in the wall adjacent the lower end thereof, a tubular fixturesupport shaft having a cylindrical outer surface and an outside diametersmaller than the inside diameter of said support bracket tubularportion, the upper end of said tubular fixture support shaft beingdisposed within the lower end of said depending tubular portion and insuificient radial spaced relation so that angular movement therebetweenis permitted, and pivotal support means extending in diametricallyopposite directions and located in the upper end of the support shaft,said support means extending into and engaging said elongatedrectangular-apertures.

2. A flexible support for suspending a pendant lighting fixture from aceiling, or the like, comprising a support bracket for mounting adjacentthe ceiling and having a depending threaded tubular portion, the innersurface of which is cylindrical, said tubular portion having a pair ofdiametrically opposed circumferentially elongated substantiallyrectangular apertures in the wall adjacent the lower end thereof, atubular 'fixture support shaft having a cylindrical outer surface and anoutside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of said supportbracket threaded tubular portion, the upper end of said tubular fixturesupport shaft being disposed Within the lower end of said dependingtubular portion and in sufiicient radial spaced relation therewith sothat angular movement therebetween is permitted, pivotal support meansextending in diametrically opposite directions and located in the upperend of said support shaft, said pivotal support means extending into andengaging said opposed rectangular apertures, a cover for enclosing saidsupport bracket having a central aperture and a recessed portion aboutsaid aperture, said aperture being of greater dimension than saidbracket tubular portion outside diameter, and threaded securing meanswithin said recessed portion of said cover and engaging said supportbracket threaded tubular portion.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said pivotal support meanscomprises a pair of oppositely extending trunnion portions of lesserdiameter than the minor dimension of said elongated rectangularapertures.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the end of the fixturesupport shaft carrying the pivotal support means is beveled in a pointedmanner and in planes parallel with the axis of said support means toallow additional pivotal freedom of said support shaft.

5. A pendant lighting fixture having an upper pivotal support sectionfor mounting adjacent a ceiling, or the like, and a lower lamp holdingsection separated from said support section by a thin rigid length oftubular support shaft, said fixture comprising a support bracket forconnection to the ceiling and having a depending tubular portion, theinner surface of which is cylindrical, said tubular portion having apair of diametrically opposed circumferentially elongated substantiallyrectangular apertures in the Walls adjacent the lower end thereof, atubular fixture support shaft having a cylindrical outer surface and anoutside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of said supportbracket tubular portion, the upper end of said tubular fixture supportshaft being disposed within the lower end of said depending tubularportion and in sufficient radial spaced relation so that angularmovement therebetween is permitted, pivotal support means extending indiametrically opposite directions and located in the upper end of thesupport shaft, said support means extending into and engaging saidrectangular apertures, first and second horizontally disposed globeholding plates at the lower end of said support shaft, said first platebeing fixedly secured to said support shaft, said second plate beingmovable axially along said support shaft above said first plate, meansbiasing said second plate toward said first plate, said plates beingcomplementarily formed at their opposing surfaces for holdingtherebetween a lighting fixture covering globe, said first plate beingformed for insertion thereof into a globe to be held, and holding meansto maintain said plates in separated relation to facilitate lamp sectionmaintenance.

6. A lamp fixture having attachment means for securing a fixturecovering globe, said fixture comprising a fixture shaft, first andsecond spaced substantially parallel plate portions having centralapertures therein, said first plate portion fixedly connected to an endof the fixture shaft at its central aperture and having a size and shapefor permitting entry thereof into a fixture covering globe, said secondplate portion being movable axially along the length of said fixtureshaft above said first plate, said plates being complementarily formedat their opposing surfaces for holding a lighting fixture covering globetherebetvveen, a compression spring means to normally urge said secondplate in substantial contact with said fixed first plate, and holdingmeans releasably connecting said second plate portion and said shaft tomaintain said plates in separated relation to facilitate lamp fixturemaintenance.

7. A lamp fixture having attachment means according to claim 6 whereinsaid holding means includes a cylin drical tubular collar secured at oneend to said second plate and enclosing said compression spring means,said tubular collar including an adjustable pin portion adapted to beengageable With said fixture shaft to hold said collar and said secondplate in a raised relation with respect to said first plate during lampfixture maintenance.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS528,024 Perry Oct. 23, 1894 1,402,516 Ko-pstein Jan. 3, 1922 1,464,637Bowers Aug. 14, 1923 1,577,497 Schroeder Mar. 23, 1926 2,147,284 DoaneFeb. 14, 1939 2,888,061 Berlin May 26, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 9,677 GreatBritain Apr. 1, 1899 523,925 Great Britain July 25, 1940 88,791 NorwayFeb. 25, 1957

5. A PENDANT LIGHTING FIXTURE HAVING AN UPPER PIVOTAL SUPPORT SECTIONFOR MOUNTING ADJACENT A CEILING, OR THE LIKE, AND A LOWER LAMP HOLDINGSECTION SEPARATED FROM SAID SUPPORT SECTION BY A THIN RIGID LENGTH OFTUBULAR SUPPORT SHAFT, SAID FIXTURE COMPRISING A SUPPORT BRACKET FORCONNECTION TO THE CEILING AND HAVING A DEPENDING TUBULAR PORTION, THEINNER SURFACE OF WHICH IS CYLINDRICAL, SAID TUBULAR PORTION HAVING APAIR OF DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED CIRCUMFERENTIALLY ELONGATED SUBSTANTIALLYRECTANGULAR APERTURES IN THE WALLS ADJACENT THE LOWER END THEREOF, ATUBULAR FIXTURE SUPPORT SHAFT HAVING A CYLINDRICAL OUTER SURFACE AND ANOUTSIDE DIAMETER SMALLER THAN THE INSIDE DIAMETER OF SAID SUPPORTBRACKET TUBULAR PORTION, THE UPPER END OF SAID TUBULAR FIXTURE SUPPORTSHAFT BEING DISPOSED WITHIN THE LOWER END OF SAID DEPENDING TUBULARPORTION AND IN SUFFICIENT RADIAL SPACED RELATION SO THAT ANGULARMOVEMENT THEREBETWEEN IS PERMITTED, PIVOTAL